Serena Williams Biography - Born In Saginaw, Michigan, Father Takes Charge Of Career, Enters First Grand Slam Tourney - CONTACT INFORMATION
1981-
American tennis player
Together with her older sister, Venus Williams, Serena Williams has taken the tennis world by storm, soaring to the top of a game traditionally dominated by white players. For Serena, 2002 was particularly sweet. The year didn't get off to a particularly auspicious start. A sprained ankle forced Williams to miss the Australian Open in January 2002, but things brightened up considerably for the remainder of the year. She won seven of her next 12 events, winning three of the four 2002 Grand Slam tournaments—the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open—and snatching from sister Venus the number one world women's ranking. In recognition of her impressive performance in 2002, Williams, along with Australian Lleyton Hewitt, was named International Tennis Federation world champion in December. As 2003 dawned, Williams became only the fifth woman in tennis history to hold all four Grand Slam titles, beating Venus in the finals of the Australian Open. Of Williams' brilliance on the tennis court, tennis great Chris Evert, told People: "Serena really is too good. I'd like to see some players get close to athleticism, and I don't see it yet on the horizon."
Serena Williams
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address: c/o Women's Tennis Association, 133 First St. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Additional Topics
Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on September 26, 1981, 15 months after older sister Venus. The youngest of the five daughters of Richard and Oracene (nicknamed Brandi) Williams grew up in the gritty Los Angeles suburb of Compton, where her father ran a private security firm. Richard Williams, long a fan of televised tennis competition, resolved that he would teach all of his daughters to p…
After the Williams sisters left Macci's tennis academy in 1995, their father, with the help of his wife, once again took over the responsibility of coaching the girls. Even more importantly, he devoted a great deal of his time and energy to promoting his daughters, publishing a newsletter about the girls' background and training. He also used the newsletter to blow his own horn, clai…
At the age of 16, in January of 1998, Williams entered her first Grand Slam tournament—the Australian Open—after winning a qualifying match. Facing off against second-seeded Davenport, who had defeated her at the Ameritech Cup in late 1997, she turned the tables, handily winning the match. Venus shocked top-ranked Martina Hingis. When the two sisters met on the court in the second ro…
The biggest booster of Serena and Venus Williams is their father, who has also served as their coach and manager from the very beginning of their tennis careers. In fact, it's doubtful either Williams sister would be playing tennis at all were it not for Richard Williams' fervent belief that he could raise his daughters to be champions on the court. Working with the three older siste…
Williams won the first WTA title of her career early in 1999, overpowering Amelie Mauresmo of France 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 in the Open Gaz de France tournament in Paris. In besting Mauresmo, Serena became the first American ever to win that tournament. Making the victory even sweeter for the Williams family was an almost simultaneous win by Venus in the IGA Super Thrift Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City. Se…
Later in 1999 the Williams sisters teamed up to win the doubles title at the French Open. The sweetest victory came for seventh-ranked Serena at the U.S. Open in 1999 when she became the lowest seed to win the women's title since 1968. In taking her first Grand Slam singles title, Williams became only the second African-American woman to do so. The win boosted Serena's world ranking …
"Serena Williams." Complete Marquis Who's Who. Marquis Who's Who, 2001. "Serena Williams." Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 20. Gale Group, 1998. "Serena Williams." Newsmakers 1999, Issue 4. Gale Group, 1999. "Serena Williams." Who's Who Among African Americans, 14th ed. Gale Group, 2001. Chappell, Kevin. "Rich…
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User Comments Add a comment…
7 months ago
Ram
Kudos to your parents. You gals did prove if you put heart and soul nothing is a barrier to success. Keep up sisters..
about 1 year ago
Anne MUTETI » annemuteti ((at)) hotmail dot com
Hello Serena Williams,
I admire you , I like watching you and your sister playing Tennis, you have a Talent keep it on.
Serena , I am so touched for What you did in my Home born Area MAKUENI (kenya) the school you build , God bless you so much.
about 1 year ago
jasmine willis » geckoSN ((at)) aol dot com
Hello my name is jasmine willis and I am currently in the foster care system and I love the game of tennis. I was just wanting to let you know that you and your sister really inspired me to play and keep playing.